Interactive clamp force control system for load handling clamps

Abstract

Improvements are disclosed for a load-clamping system with variable clamping force control by which a wide variety of dissimilar loads of different types, geometric configurations and/or other parameters can be accurately clamped at respective variable optimal clamping force settings. An operator terminal cooperates with a controller to translate one or more possible load parameters into a form easily discernible visually by a clamp operator and preferably easily comparable by the clamp operator, from his visual observation, to each particular load which he is about to engage, so that the clamp operator can interactively guide the controller in its selection of an optimal clamping force setting for each particular load.

We claim: 
     
       1. A control system comprising:
 (a) a controller for a load-handling clamp having load-engaging surfaces, at least one of said surfaces being selectively movable toward another of said surfaces by a clamping actuator; 
 (b) said controller being capable of variably regulating a clamping force setting by which said actuator can apply a load-clamping force through said surfaces; 
 (c) said controller being operable to receive information selected by an operator of said load handling clamp from possible choices provided by said controller, each possible choice describing a respective different possible physical parameter of a load to be clamped, said controller being operable to variably identify a particular predetermined optimal load-clamping force setting, applicable to a particular load to be clamped, in response to a combination of multiple ones of said choices selected by said operator; 
 (d) said controller being operably connectable to a terminal through which said controller can provide said possible choices in a form comparable with said particular load to be clamped by said operator's visual observation of said particular load. 
 
     
     
       2. A control system comprising:
 (a) a controller for a load-handling clamp having load-engaging surfaces, at least one of said surfaces being selectively movable toward another of said surfaces by a clamping actuator; 
 (b) said controller being capable of variably regulating a clamping force setting by which said actuator can apply a load-clamping force through said surfaces; 
 (c) said controller being operable to receive information selected by an operator of said load handling clamp from possible choices provided by said controller, each possible choice describing a respective different possible physical parameter of a load to be clamped, said controller being operable to variably identify a particular predetermined optimal load-clamping force setting, applicable to a particular load to be clamped, in response to a combination of multiple ones of said choices selected by said operator; 
 (d) said controller being operably connectable to a terminal through which said controller can provide said possible choices in a form comparable with said particular load to be clamped by said operator's visual observation of said possible choices. 
 
     
     
       3. A control system comprising:
 (a) a controller for a load-handling clamp having load-engaging surfaces, at least one of said surfaces being selectively movable toward another of said surfaces by a clamping actuator; 
 (b) said controller being capable of variably regulating a clamping force setting by which said actuator can apply a load-clamping force through said surfaces; 
 (c) said controller being operable to receive information selected by an operator of said load handling clamp from possible choices provided by said controller, each possible choice describing a respective different possible physical parameter of a load to be clamped, said controller being operable to variably identify a particular predetermined optimal load-clamping force setting, applicable to a particular load to be clamped, in response to a combination of multiple ones of said choices selected by said operator; 
 (d) said controller being operably connectable to a terminal through which said controller can provide said possible choices as respective load types and as respective load geometric configurations. 
 
     
     
       4. A control system comprising:
 (a) a controller for a load-handling clamp having load-engaging surfaces, at least one of said surfaces being selectively movable toward another of said surfaces by a clamping actuator; 
 (b) said controller being capable of variably regulating a clamping force setting by which said actuator can apply a load-clamping force through said surfaces; 
 (c) said controller being operable to receive information selected by an operator of said load handling clamp from possible choices provided by said controller, each possible choice describing a respective different possible physical parameter of a load to be clamped, said controller being operable to variably identify a particular predetermined optimal load-clamping force setting, applicable to a particular load to be clamped, in response to a combination of multiple ones of said choices selected by said operator; 
 (d) said controller being operably connectable to a terminal through which said operator can manually select said multiple ones of said choices. 
 
     
     
       5. A control system comprising:
 (a) a controller for a load-handling clamp having load-engaging surfaces, at least one of said surfaces being selectively movable toward another of said surfaces by a clamping actuator; 
 (b) said controller being capable of variably regulating a clamping force setting by which said actuator can apply a load-clamping force through said surfaces; 
 (c) said controller being operable to receive information selected by an operator of said load handling clamp from possible choices provided by said controller, each possible choice describing a respective different possible physical parameter of a load to be clamped, said controller being operable to variably identify a particular predetermined optimal load-clamping force setting, applicable to a particular load to be clamped, in response to a combination of multiple ones of said choices selected by said operator; 
 (d) said load-engaging surfaces being capable of gripping a respective first load and, thereafter, a dissimilar second load, said controller being operable to receive first said information selected by said operator with respect to said first load and thereafter to receive second said information, modifying said first information, selected by said operator with respect to said second load, said controller being operable to variably identify a particular optimal load-clamping force setting applicable to said second load in response to said first information as modified by said second information.